New Collective Agreement Signed: Improved Status for Civil Servants and Employees in Sarajevo Canton

(Patria) - The Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton (KS) Nihad Uk and the president of the Independent Trade Union of Civil Servants and Employees of KS Elvis Zornić today signed the text of the new Collective Agreement for civil servants and employees in the state service bodies of KS.

The signing was preceded by several meetings where the text of the agreement was harmonized, which will improve the status and income of civil servants and employees in KS, considering the daily price increases and the increasingly expensive standard of living.

- I am pleased that we have managed to reach an agreement that satisfies both parties, and primarily the workers in the state service bodies. Fair and constructive social dialogue has been our commitment from the beginning of our mandate, and precisely such a relationship has yielded results in the form of the Agreement we signed today - said Uk.

The new Collective Agreement provides for an increase in salaries, improvement of working conditions and workers' rights, as well as other important issues concerning workers in the public sector, with an increase in the base for salary calculation from 330 to 385.

According to the Trade Union, this Collective Agreement best satisfies the interests and needs of the workers at this moment and is another proof of good social dialogue.

Zornić said that the rights of workers in this sector are improving year by year, and that the main goal is to bring the income and other rights of civil servants and employees closer to their colleagues in other branches. He thanked the Government and Prime Minister Uk for their understanding.

- Finally, after more than 10 years, we have returned the rights taken away from civil servants and employees. This year, we also reinstated the 'exceptionally successful' rating for five percent and 'successful', which did not exist before, for two percent. All this, along with the base which, as of December 1st, amounts to 385 KM - explained Zornić.

The signing of the Agreement was also attended by the Minister of Labor, Social Policy, Displaced Persons and Refugees Enda Pavić Pečenković and the Minister of Finance of KS Afan Kalamujić, as well as the Vice-President of the Trade Union Jasmina Lukovac and member of the Trade Union Management Board Amel Hamzić.

- I am very satisfied and proud of the signed Agreement. It is the result of the work and commitment of the members of the Government and the Trade Union. We considered many options and finally concluded important negotiations positively, which, to our mutual satisfaction, have enabled a better status for civil servants and employees - stated Minister Pavić Pečenković.

Minister Kalamujić shares the same view.

- The Ministry of Finance recognized this as an opportunity to restore the trust of the citizens of KS in state institutions and to stimulate civil servants and employees, in difficult times of inflation, exclusively through the valorization of work.

- Recognizing and valuing work will always be our top priority, and at the same time, it will affect the quality of services provided to the citizens of KS. After almost 14 years, we have restored mechanisms that yielded results - emphasized Kalamujić.